I’ve spoken to a couple of cosa nostra characters about this. One of them was the son of a major crime figure. He himself was a bad bad apple when he was younger (just 20 years ago). These days, he’s just a pimp. Supposedly no longer a killer. He absolutely regrets, or at least says he does, the pain and suffering that he caused. The other guy was very senior himself and seems to really regret his previous life, but on the other hand, hate still suffuses his soul.

]]>By: vachonhttp://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2009/11/11/unrepentant-bankers/comment-page-1/#comment-8641
Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:20:43 +0000http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2009/11/11/unrepentant-bankers/#comment-8641”Let me tell you about the very rich. They are different from you and me.”

F. Scott Fitzgerald
1926

]]>By: onthetimeshttp://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2009/11/11/unrepentant-bankers/comment-page-1/#comment-8624
Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:07:45 +0000http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2009/11/11/unrepentant-bankers/#comment-8624Worse than having no remorse is their attitude that they still deserve their totally-disconnected-with-reality compensation. They have been exposed as just the highest paid welfare frauds, as their gambling operations for which they get so insanely rewarded are completely underwritten by the US government.
]]>By: The Real Dealhttp://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2009/11/11/unrepentant-bankers/comment-page-1/#comment-8623
Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:02:49 +0000http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2009/11/11/unrepentant-bankers/#comment-8623If you interview Nazi high command during 1945, as their country crumbled on all fronts, do you expect any of them to show remorse? Not one. They saw themselves as victims of a larger problem, Allied aggression, Jews insurgency, betrayal by their Italian ally, foreigners ganged up on them. Hitler blamed the whole thing on Germans betraying him on his last days.

If you interview New York mafia dons as their families got rounded up by the FBI, do you expect to see the godfathers show remorse? Not one. They saw themselves as unfortunate victims of other corrupt forces trying to bring them down.

So now you interview Wall Street bank executives. These are not business executives so don’t expect them to show morality or ethics. Just like the Nazis and the mafia.

But I differ on “bodes ill for the future”. Because society will flush out the rot of the rats sooner or later.

]]>By: Chrishttp://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2009/11/11/unrepentant-bankers/comment-page-1/#comment-8622
Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:57:39 +0000http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2009/11/11/unrepentant-bankers/#comment-8622Reed is retired. I think that probably makes it easier for him to face reality.
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